Saturday, March 5, 2016

One week

One full week home, and we are marveling at how Milo is taking every new adventure in stride. Aside from Monte's Labrador (who terrifies him), each new thing seems to bring him joy. Checking the henhouse for eggs (15+ times a day) is his hands-down favorite activity, but Lego-building, investigating the cats, working puzzles, helping Daddy plant trees, overseeing car repairs, playing with Moses, and eating, eating, eating...his days are full. We are watching him reach out for hugs, gain confidence in motor skills, connect with his siblings and learn new English words daily. I should have photos of these myriad firsts. But, honestly, my camera has not been in my hands. Jet lag has been a bear, and when I am not trying to catch up on sleep -- or life, I am trying to be fully present with my children. Eventually I will capture more moments on film, but until then, my heart is full.

Yes, there are transitions for everyone, and this busy little man is still a butterfly, moving from one thing to the next. But, we see him settling a bit longer at each activity, and he continues to be patient with us as we work our way through the labyrinth of language. Siblings are learning some Mandarin...and some patience with the changes in the shape of our days. And we are learning that God is faithful in all things. An emergency dental appointment for Milo was scary for all of us this week. But, we walked away with better-than-expected news about his smile -- and without a charge for his care.

Next week holds multiple appointments with specialists in Seattle. And the following week, we will try to figure out a new school routine. We are so thankful for a wonderful Mandarin-speaking friend who is also a teacher. She has already connected with Milo and is helping us understand where to begin with some elements of his education. As we count our blessings, she is among them. And I will attempt to continue to share God's gifts here, because this story isn't just ours. It is also yours. So many of you have sacrificed cheerfully, prayed faithfully and encouraged us continually throughout this journey. We are humbled and blessed.

I'm so glad to see your update and hear how well things are going. I know exactly what you mean about trying to keep up with everything. It's so important to take advantage of the quiet moments and choose sleep for myself and to be present when the kids are active. Sam is a whirlwind and lives passionately and fully in each moment, just until he moves to the next activity, in which he explores equally as deep! It takes all of us to keep up with his boundless energy.

Riann and family glad to hear you are figuring the puzzle of your son. He is such a blessing for you. You can tell he is home by the pictures. I ran into an old email from you when working on paperwork for our son in China. I reread the mention by you about not wanting to talk about his life in the orphanage. Our son from Taiwan was the same. Until there was a number of years had gone by He now wants to talk a lot about and wants to go back now to volunteer. Hope all is going well